Here's a photo of Chefrotin des Aravis I got a few months ago (At the Borough Market in London. ...they are not legal in the US). It's the 2nd one from the right. Notice that the rind is far more red and bold. I still dream about it at nights

I've been preparing a 5% morge in a large enough quantity that I could throw away the portion I use for each wash. Is that the correct way to do it? It kind of seems like the linens, Geo and yeast would get a bit hungry after a while bathing in only a salt sloution.

Here's a photo of Chevrotin des Aravis I got a few months ago (At the Borough Market in London. ...they are not legal in the US). It's the 2nd one from the right. Notice that the rind is far more red and bold. I still dream about it at nights

Bruce, some bacteria prefer lactose to sucrose so they don't respond to the fructose until the lactose is gone. In some cases such as MVA, you can add a pinch of sugar but it also usually asks you to add tryptone which is ther medium that keeps them alive. Skip if if you don't have tryptone but remember that it will die a lot quicker. I am reminding you that Reblochon wash is better at 4%-5% than the regular 3% morge.

In the case of SR-3, Danisco suggests that you would make the brine, add a pinch of sugar to it, cool it to 4°C (40°F), and inoculate it 16 hours at that temperature before using. They are also suggesting to add tryptone but that's a headache. If you don't have access to Tryptone (basically food for the culture to keep alive on), don't worry about it. Just make smaller batches of brine every few days instead of one batch that will last for several weeks.

I hope this helps!

- Yoav

Here we go. What I had was in reference to the strain I had (SR3)...knew I had read that somewhere....

Okay, I gotta know something. Do your Reblochon's really stink?? Please tell me it's a good sign! They are very stinky. I know I messed up some of the make. I didn't have space in my wine fridge at first and they were in a slightly warmer cold room for about 5 days. (I could call it my yeasting room but it's a guest room when we have the rare guest.) I have done a wash on them with PLA, salt, water and I certainly saw a good Geo bloom and now I see a very slight orange-ish blush perhaps....if I squint at least! They were not at optimal humidity and they are quite firm.....when should I expect them to start to soften? Ooh, and that smell!! Yikes!

Bruce - Good catch! I am glad to see how consistent I am! Totally forgot we discusses this in the past!

Kathrin - Reblochon is not Munster... it's a rather mild cheese. Technically it's a mixed rind cheese so it has a mild geo and mild b. linens instead of a very harsh linen as in the Trappist monk styles of cheeses which can be far stinkier. It's also not terribly acidic so you should be able to feel the milkiness of it and notes of grass or hay - depends on your milk characteristics. You should follow the recipe: turn the cheese and wash the sidewall and top. the next day turn it again and wash the top. The next day turn it again and wash the sidewall and top etc. This way, every surface of the cheese gets a wash every two days and you will never put the wet side on the wood planks. In the second week, space it out more wash top and sidewall, the next day turn and wash the top, then rest a day, then turn and repeat. By the end of this week the cheese should begin to be pillowy and when you give it that rest, you will see that the Geo is trying to use that extra day to bloom. If it's still too stiff, give it some more washes and wait longer - it was probably too acidic and will need extra care. Once it is softer and pillowy, wrap and move to fridge.

Yoav, I don't have it on spruce.....just matting in a box. And it sure does stink! Don't know what I did but maybe I'll find someone who likes stinky cheese. or maybe it will mellow.

Just because it smells a bit mellow, that doesn't mean that the taste follows the malodorous character!

"Often, washed rind cheeses taste much milder than their smell would indicate, with savory hints of fruit, grass and nuts and with a texture ranging from firm and slightly grainy to soft and smooth to runny and silky. The thing to remember with all stinky cheeses is what your mom always tried to tell you, "You can't judge a book by its cover!" In this case, you can't judge a cheese by smell alone and what one person considers stinky may be perfume to someone else."

Hey, stinky cheeses deserve their day in the sun your mouth! All hail, stinky cheeses!!

"Often, washed rind cheeses taste just as bad as their smell would indicate, with savory hints of high school gym locker, dirty laundry hamper or forgotten wet bathing suit and with a texture ranging from firm sneaker rubber with the graininess of sandy tread to soft and slippery like pond algae."

Wow, I guess I'm on track!

You're always such a help, Boofer! it's good to see you back. When you didn't post for a few days I was hoping you hadn't been away because of your Dad not being well.

Age the cheese; move it IMMEDIATELY to the cave at 50°F/11°C and 95% RH. Place the cheese on spruce boards if you can get some (avoid other woods due to aroma and tanins. Also avoid treated wood. Only use raw wood and only wash it with boiling water and coarse salt).

I read on a French website/blog today that the DOC Reblochon must be aged on spruce branches or boughs, not boards, but maybe that was a translation error?